Sunday March 1, 2015 was a day that once again made history in the western sports world as RFD-TV brings The American Rodeo to AT&T Stadium for the second time in as many years. RFD-TV’s CEO Randy Bernard had this idea and ran with it making the dream of having the biggest paying one day in the history of the sport a reality. Each and every fan in the sold out Arlington, Texas stadium witnessed over 2 million dollars given away to professional rodeo athletes that would once again set records and make life changing history to some of our favorite athletes and up and coming stars as well!
Taylor Price’s Winning Bareback Ride
Photo Credit: DMW Photography
The bareback riding at the 2015 edition of the RFD-TV’s The American started off with a bang as the top 10 riders in the world matched up with the 5 qualifiers who are going for the $1 million dollar prize. A packed field brought the much anticipated excitement to the arena floor as each gave their all to be able to make it back to the “Final Four Shoot Out” to see who would win the huge pile of money
available to them. After the long round it was Taylor Price, Austin Foss, Jake Vold and Brian Bain who managed to make it back. After all was said and done it was Taylor Price who claimed his share of the $1 million dollar prize for his efforts at the world’s richest one day rodeo, The American!
Kaleb Driggers and Travis Graves’ Winning Team Roping Run
Photo Credit: DMW Photography
The team ropers were the next to take center stage and they did not disappoint any of the sold out crowd fans in attendance here on Sunday afternoon. When you talk about the sport of professional rodeo you need to have a mind for two names the are legends in the team roping world. This year’s exemptions Speed Williams and Rick Skelton came together to give the fans one more look at them doing what they love in a professional rodeo arena. After all was said and done it was the teams of Coleman Proctor/Jake Long, Jake Barnes/Junior Nogueira, Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves and Trevor Brazile/Patrick Smith who managed to make it back to the “Final Four Shoot Out”. When the arena cleared and the lights dimmed on the team roping event it was the team of Kaleb Driggers and Travis Graves who were crowned champions and earned a cool $100,000 each for their efforts!
K.C. Jones’ Winning Steer Wrestling Run
Photo Credit: DMW Photography
The steer wrestling at the 2015 RFD-TV’s The American was nothing but amazing bringing some of the fastest times that we have seen inside the AT&T Stadium so far. Many World Champions and other rodeo greats came together to share the arena floor to put on a showcase for the sold out crowd. When everything was said and done it was steer wrestlers Ty Erickson, K.C. Jones, Nick Guy and Kyle Irwin who would move onto the Final Four Shoot Out round to see who would be crowned champion. Once the lights came down on the steer wrestling it was K.C. Jones who ended up taking home the championship title and over $48,000 in merchandise as well as his huge $100,000 payday!
Wade Sundell’s Winning Saddle Bronc Ride
Photo Credit: DMW Photography
When we think about the saddle bronc riding that is part of the RFD-TV’s The American one name comes to mind and that is the electric cowboy Wade Sundell. Although Wade was a part of the festivities this afternoon we can not forget about the amount of star power that was on display with many world champions that were part of the action as well. With all the excitement came to a dramatic close it was Cody DeMoss, Wade Sundell, Spencer Wright and Tyler Corrington that were the top four of the round and competed in the Final Four Shoot Out round for the huge payday that is part of The American Rodeo. At the end of the day it was Wade Sundell that outlasted all the other competitors for the second year in a row and took home the championship, merchandise and a whole pocket full of money.
Reese Riemer’s Winning Tie Down Roping Run
Photo Credit: DMW Photography
The RFD-TV’s The American event brings together all of the top superstars of professional rodeo to have the chance on winning a life changing amount of money and in the tie down roping it is no difference. Although there were many superstars it was the virtually “unknown” cowboys in the sport of professional rodeo that took center stage this afternoon. Once all the runs were made it was split right down the middle with 2 qualifiers and two invited each taking their places in the Final Four Shoot Out round. World champion Tuf Cooper, Timber Moore and qualifiers Reese Riemer and Cole Bailey making the elite field of four to see who would become champion and a possible millionaire in just a few short minutes. Once it was all said and done it was Reese Riemer who came out on top and took home the elusive title of being THE American Champion thus claiming his share of the $1.1 million dollar prize for being a qualifier and winning his event!
Lisa Lockhart’s Winning Barrel Racing Run
Photo Credit: DMW Photography
The barrel racing was full of world champions and many inspiring stories on this Sunday afternoon inside the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It was not the world champions that were on parade but three ladies that are making history inside of the RFD-TV’s The American arena today. The fans witnessed a 13 year old phenomenon as well as a 9 year old youngster that will be a force to be reckon with for many years to come. Along with all that excitement it was also a very special day for this year’s fan exemption Amberley Snyder who is paralyzed from the waist down and was recognized as part of a 4-H presentation in the middle of the arena after the ladies had all run. The four barrel racers that qualified for the Final Four Shoot Out Round were, Michele McLeod, Sharin Hall, Lisa Lockhart and Kassidy Dennison. After these four ladies gave their all it was Lisa Lockhart that reigned supreme for the second straight year and claimed the title of champion and earned a life changing amount of money again totaling $100,000!
Silvano Alves’ Winning Bull Riding Ride
Photo Credit: DMW Photography
The final event of this year’s RFD-TV’s The American was, of course, the fan favorite event of bull riding. Last night fans got to witness the best of the best in the Professional Bull Riders Built Ford Tough Series and today was not any different. The top ten cowboys from the PBR were invited once again this year along with qualifiers and exemptions. After the 17 bull riders attempted their rides it was only 3 riders that made the whistle. Knowing that they needed to fill all four holes for the Final Four Shoot Out round it was the 2014 PBR World Champion that was granted the last open hole. That would make the final four riders J.W. Harris, Jason Malone, Cody Nance and Silvano Alves who was granted the last open hole without a qualified ride. Once everything was said and done and this year’s RFD-TV’s The American was done and the lights were out in AT&T Stadium it was Silvano Alves that claimed the championship title and the $100,000 that comes along with that title!
It is quite easy to follow all the excitement with the Rodeo Round Up simply by copying this website into your favorites in your web browser for easy one click access to UPDATED event statistics. You can also like and follow us on facebook here, or by liking and following us on Instagram and/or Twitter at @therodeoroundup. Jason has also made it easy for you to be a part of his interviews by opening up a listener comment line. If you have a question for a certain rodeo star simply call in and leave your name, where you are from, who the question is for and what your question is and he will do his best to get it answered for you during his interviews!
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